The Problem With Being Rich
by MySilentVoice
Summary: Just my luck, I'm a normal teenage girl living a normal life and suddenly I'm thrown into the world of the rich and elite. Toss in an emotionless hottie, the evil friend I've never seen for years, a couple of extras, and you have what I call my life. And let me tell you, this life...sucks. ...Or so I thought.
1. Chapter 1

**Gakuen Alice**

**The Problem With Being Rich**

_By mysilentvoice_

…

This is amazing. The ceiling is at least fifteen metres high. The couches are made of leather. There's a fountain in the garden and the entire property is surrounded by forests. Did I forget to mention the front gate is made from gold? Pure gold. Oh, I'm sorry, did you think I was talking about a castle in England? Sorry to disappoint you, but this ain't no castle. It might as well be one though. This is Alice Academy. One of the most elite schools in the world and definitely the best in all of Japan. So anyway…What the heck am I doing here?

Let's see, if we summarize all the events that have taken place over the past few days into one nice essay, it would look something like this:

_I woke up to the sound of the alarm clock, it's persistent ringing bringing me out of dreamland. How I wish I had stayed in that land though. I did my usual morning routines, and skipped down the stairs to the kitchen. Surprisingly, I did not fall flat on my face. "Good morning, grandpa!" I smiled, pulling out a chair. I would have sat on it but there was something else I had to ask my grandfather first. I bit my lip. "Grandpa, why is there a mysterious woman in our kitchen?"_

_My grandfather laughed nervously, "Well you see-" I narrowed my eyes. "Don't tell me she's your girlfriend? You're too old." Oops. Grandpa is glaring at me now. Time to run away–_

_"Ouch!" I cried. My poor, poor head. It's as if the sky came crashing down on me. "What'd you hit me for?" I whined._

_My grandfather frowned. "You were being an idiot, Mikan. Now listen carefully to Yuka-san here. She has something important to tell you."_

_"Yuka-san?" I suddenly remembered the stranger in front of me. I blushed. "Sorry about earlier, Yuka-san. My grandpa's just so old and has never been seen near a woman except the one who sells fish–Um, wait, never mind. I'm Mikan Sakura."_

_Yuka-san smiled kindly at me. "No worries, Mikan. I'm just so glad I finally got to see you. You've grown so much."_

_I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. "Are you one of grandpa's old friends whom he used to play poker with? A lot of them drop by claiming I've grown a lot."_

_"Uh, no. I only knew your grandfather for a day or so, just enough time to get acquainted and have him take you in."_

_I cocked my head. The universal sign for: Huh?_

_Yuka massaged her temples. "Sorry, this may be a little confusing. Let me explain my story first. When I was still a teenager, I attended this very elite school for rich kids. I come from a wealthy family, but I'm not in touch with them anymore. So while I was at the school, I fell in love with my teacher, who–"_

_"Wow!" I exclaimed. "You fell in love with your teacher? Is that even legal?" Yuka looked a little taken aback, but she smiled nonetheless._

_"I'm not sure about illegal, but I do know that I love him very much. But anyway, he was my teacher and came from a very, wealthy family, even wealthier than mine. His bloodline even traces back to nobility. And through a series of events, we both realized we loved each other and then, we eloped."_

_I gasped. Grandpa shot me a glare. But never mind. "Cool, you mean you ran away together? That's so sweet! But why did you, if you don't mind me asking?"_

_"Well, our families were forcing us toremain at the academy so as to forge strong ties with the academy. The academy is owned by another wealthy man, and our families wanted us to befriend him and all the other students who came from approved backgrounds. But me and my teacher, we were tired of that sort of life, being rich and all, so we ran from the academy."_

_Yuka looked into my eyes. I could feel myself tearing a little. She smiled sadly. "We managed to get quite far, but our families and the academy had sent people to pursue us, wanting to bring us , one night, I don't know why but my teacher, the love of my life was killed. We were running through a deserted town, and those our family hired to chase us were hot on our heels. I know they weren't given orders to actually harm us, but one of them, most likely a traitor or spy, took out a gun and shot my teacher. The other pursuers were shocked and a fight broke out amongst them. I took advantage of the situation and ran, knowing my lover could not be saved."_

_I don't know why, but I felt as if I died when I said that. Her story was so sad. What, why am I crying? I clamped both hands over my mouth, a choked sob barely managed to escape. I glanced over at Yuka-san through a blur of tears, and I knew that she was crying too. _

_Yuka-san dried her eyes with a tissue grandpa offered her. "I was eight months pregnant at the time he died," she sniffed. "And I was so scared. I was alone, my baby was about to be born, and there was always someone chasing me. Finally, I went to my best friend. I knew her while we were in the academy and she herself was being pursued. I didn't want to trouble her and her husband, but I was desperate. I found her just in time, and my baby was born in her home."_

_I smiled. "That must have been a very happy moment for you. What did you name your baby?"_

_Yuka-san laughed nervously, for some reason. "Let's come back to that later, shall we?" She said. "So fortunately, my friend was kind enough to hide me for a few weeks, but one day, while we were all running away from pursuers, both hers and mine, I realized I couldn't trouble her any further. I turned to her as we crouched in a small alleyway and told her, 'I'm so sorry for all this. Thank you so much. Good-bye.' Then, I took my baby and I ran. I ran away from her, from everything and I had no idea where I was. I think I was running through small forest but soon enough I reached a small town. It was snowing and I was about to collapse from exhaustion and my baby was running a high fever. Just when I thought we were done for, an old man approached me. He took pity on me and sheltered us for the night, he even brought in a doctor for my baby. I was really grateful. But when morning came, I realized I couldn't trouble anyone, much less an innocent old man. My pursuers were sure to find me eventually. So, I left the old man's house too. But before that, I left my baby with him, and told him to take care of her for me. Then I ran again. Away from the house, away from that small town."_

_Grandpa was tearing a bit too, and he was looking at me in a very sad way. I wondered why. I continued listening to Yuka-san's story. _

_"After that, I decided I couldn't keep running forever. I had to do something. Make sure they wouldn't bother me again. And with the help of another friend from the academy, I went to my teacher's family. They were an old couple and were devastated by the death of their son. But thankfully, they were as kind as he was. They took me in, and I claimed full responsibility for his death, and told them I'd make up for what I'd done by giving them what they did not have. A heir. They were a little reluctant at first, but I worked hard and showed them I was fully capable of taking over their family business. And now, they've fully accepted me and I am in charge of everything under their company. It has been many long years and I've finally decided it was time to find my daughter whom I left behind."_

_I grinned. "That's wonderful, Yuka-san. Did you manage to find your daughter?"_

_She smiled at me. A smile so sad yet happy at the same time. She rose from her chair and approached me. I suddenly found myself being hugged by her. But, why? The answer soon came. _

_"Yes," she whispered into my ear. "I've finally found you. Mikan."_

…

End of essay. Wow, my teacher would be proud of me. But back to the present. Turns out I'm Yuka's daughter, and she has decided to welcome me back into my original family with open arms. There was a lot of tears and hugging after that. Yuka–I mean, mom wants me to attend Alice Academy too, since she wants me to prepare for the future as heir to Yukihara Industries. I nearly fainted at that. I mean, I can't even get a B for math! But I didn't want my mother to be alone any longer, so I agreed to enroll in Alice Academy.

So here I am, in the principal's office, waiting for my mother to finish handling the paperwork. I can't believe it, the principal's office has a chandelier and a huge window overlooking the academy gardens. I swear, my jaw dropped to the floor when I walked in. But I guess I have to get used to it, seeing as I'm now the daughter of the owner of Japan's wealthiest family and company! Oh dear, I feel myself going faint again. I quickly rise from my perch on the leather armchair.

"Um, mom," I call. She's sitting at the principal's desk and I suddenly wonder if I'm being rude. "Mom, is it okay if I take a walk outside? I need some fresh air."

"Alright, Mikan. Don't wander off too far." My mother answers and the principal nods to me as well. "Be careful."

"I will." And the door closes. Finally, I was getting nervous sitting beside that glass statue. I am terribly careless after all. I scan my surroundings. There's a huge staircase in front of me, one dead end to my left and a dark hallway to my right. Alright, staircase it is. Woah, this staircase is huge, and long! Is that velvet I see carpeting it?

As I step closer to inspect, I suddenly find myself spinning, the world a big blur of color. "Ow!" I shout, my head really hurts. Crap, I'm not going to land very smoothly, not with that guy standing at the bottom staring at me like I'm an idiot. Or that's what I think his face is saying, hard to tell when you're tumbling down a very long staircase.

"Oof!" I've finally reached the ground floor. Great, I feel like I've been tossed into a washing machine. And my head hurts. And my arms. Legs too. I think it's safe to say my whole body hurts. Ouch, that's gonna hurt for the next few weeks. I shake my head a little and try to get a grip. Okay, I appear to have landed on my back, and there's a boy who's face is way too close for my liking. He opens his mouth and I'm thinking he's probably going to ask if I'm alright, but instead he says, "Are you an idiot?"

What. The. Heck?

…

Hope this chapter has captured your interest and enchanted you into reading more. Like a puppy that has smelt barbecue on the other side of the country. If you found this short, don't worry, the others will be longer.

Feel free to tell me what you think, and go ahead and suggest any possible events you'd like to take place. After all, what the reader wants, what the reader…sometimes gets. Hey, it's my story right?

Adieu,

mysilentvoice~


	2. Chapter 2

**Gakuen Alice**

**The problem With Being Rich**

**Chapter 2**

_By mysilentvoice_

…

"Can you hear me? I asked you a question."

What the…red eyes? That's cool, but a little creepy. Let's see, scowling face, messy black hair…short eyebrows. Now that's an interesting combination. Wait, he's speaking to me. Oops.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Now that's a rude question to ask someone who fell down an entire flight of stairs. I glare at the boy. "Quit being so rude, meanie."

He raises his short eyebrows. "Meanie?" He asks. I roll my eyes. "Yes, meanie. A word often used against jerks like yourself."

He stares at me as if I'm an idiot. Hey, I know my IQ isn't that high, but that's just rude. Deciding I didn't like his face hovering over mine, I quickly sit up. Hitting his chin in the process.

"Ow, What the hell?" He rubs his jaw and glares at me. Hey, thanks to you, my head is hurting like hell. Quit complaining, creepy. "Quit complaining, creepy jerk."

Adjusting my position so that I'm kneeling on the floor and facing the jerk, I realize…He's actually good-looking. But that's where the good part about him ends. He looks rather angry. I wonder why. "You know, if you frown and scrunch up your eyebrows so much," I poke his forehead gently. "You're gonna get a lot of wrinkles before you even hit thirty."

The jerk frowns, or frowns more than he already is. "Don't touch me." I sigh, what a moody kid. I rise to my feet and stick out a hand to pull him up. He ignores this kind gesture of mind though, and simply stands up, shoving his hands into his pockets. It's my turn to frown. "You're kinda rude, you know?"

He looks down at me. Woah, he's surprisingly tall. "I don't want or need your help."

I feel my lips form a small pout, as it usually does when I'm being treated unfairly. Like now. "Look," I say. "I don't know what's up with you or why you're so rude, but we all have problems right? Maybe your dog died today. But let's start over. I'm Mikan, What's your name?"

He stares at the hand I've held out for him to shake. And then he stares at my face. Then back to my hand. This goes on for quite awhile. My arm kinda hurts. Finally, after what seemed like a year, he answers, "Natsume." Then he turns around, ignoring my hand and saunters off to god knows where.

My hand drops back down to my side and I think I feel a migraine coming on. Are all the students in this school like that? If that's so, I'm going to have a very hard time here. Sighing, I slump to the ground once again, with only one question running through my mind. What is that guy's problem?

"Mikan?" I turn my head to see my mother standing behind me, looking at me, her new-found daughter sitting on the floor. She's probably wondering if she picked up the correct daughter. I quickly get to my feet, smiling sheepishly. "Um, I was just…Inspecting the floor. Have you taken care of the paperwork?"

My mother chuckles softly, pressing a hand to my back as we walk. "Yes, it's all been taken care off. You will begin school in two days."

"I see." I say, nodding absently. I was still pondering over that Natsume guy and his…lack of friendliness. Perhaps he got out of the wrong side of bed?

"We'll have to begin packing once we get home. Wait, I'll have to take you shopping for stuff you might need for the rest of the school year."

"I see." Or maybe his dog really died today. Then I would have been making an insensitive comment...

"We'll also have to buy you a few suitcases. Maybe about ten? What color would you like?"

"I see." Or maybe…

"Mikan!" Mom's waving a hand in front of my face. Oh, I know! "Mikan, were you listening to me?"

"That's really just his personality right? An emotionless robot slash human!" I say excitedly, and mom stares at me like I've grown an extra head. Great, mom is probably wondering if I am indeed her daughter. To my surprise however, she starts laughing. She catches me watching her curiously and laughs harder. "Mikan, sorry, but you–you're just so much like your father!"

My father? The guy who came from a very wealthy family? The guy who was practically royalty? He was like me? A loud, dense; just a little, person who people often describe as a moron? I have to ask. "He was a moron?"

Mom stops laughing. Uh oh. I realize I have just insulted a dead person. I'm expecting mom to get mad at me, but instead, she smiles. "Well," she says. "That's one way to put it."

…

"Bye, grandpa. Make sure you eat properly and bathe in hot water everyday." I say, reaching out to embrace my grandfather. Even if he really isn't my grandpa by blood.

"You too, Mikan. You better remember to visit me." Grandpa smiles.

"You bet," I grin. "But don't die till I visit you at least once." Wait. I think I just made an insensitive comment. Grandpa sighs.

"You'll need to control that mouth of yours now that you're all rich. I'll see you again soon, alright?"

I nod, giving him the biggest smile I have. "Of course! I'll definitely see you again."

"Mikan, it's time to go." My mother smiles gently at me. "Alright." I say. Quickly, I turn to grandpa and give him a kiss on the cheek, followed by another hug. Then, I pull my jacket tightly over my shoulders and step into mom's limo. The driver nods to me in respect and mom steps into the car as well, closing the door behind her. And before I know it, the car is speeding down the road. I cast a worried glance out the window. Mom notices this and pats my head. "I'll visit him every week while you're gone, and I'll make sure he has everything to keep him comfortable. So you rest easy and enjoy yourself, alright?"

"Okay. Thanks mom." I say.

Mom nods. "Now Mikan, when you're in school, you'll have to be careful. You're from a very rich family now, people will do anything to get close to you."

"I understand. I'll be very careful of the people I associate with."

"Good. Now, I want you to be happy, as happy as you want to, while in that school. Make friends, Mikan. The world you are entering is a dangerous one, and you'll need people you can rely on if you want to survive. Find friends who are trustworthy, and don't let them go, alright?"

I turn to mom, she looks so worried. Worried for me. "I got it, mom. I'll do my best."

She grins and rummages through her handbag. She pulls out a small box and hands it to me. "Just a little good luck present from me, " she explains. "If ever you need help, my number's already inside."

Curious, I open the box and gasp. Inside lay the latest handphone model. It's…so shiny. I bounce up and down in my seat happily. "Thank you mom! I'll make sure to call you every week."

"Great. Now that that's settled," she opens the mini fridge before her and takes out a glass bottle. "How about we have some juice?"

I smile, tucking my new phone into my skirt pocket. "Only if it's orange juice."

…

This is frustrating. I just can't figure it out. His name and face clearly suggests the obvious answer, but what about personality? And the clothes? They're completely suggesting otherwise. I don't get it. Is Narumi-sensei a man or woman?

"Um, sensei! I have a question." I say, raising my hand slightly.

"And what might that be, Mikan-chan? Feel free to ask me anything." Narumi-sensei smiles as he leads me up the stairs.

I'm suddenly wondering if this was a good idea. "Um, I was wondering, sensei, are you male or female?"

Oh dear. I've done it again. My big mouth is going to get me in jail one of these days. Narumi-sensei appears to have frozen. I don't think that's a very good idea for someone climbing the stairs. Sensei seems to be grimacing. He laughs lightly. "Oh Mikan-chan, you're so funny. I'm a male, as you can see."

"Oh." I say. It's probably best if I don't ask if he's gay. I decide to switch topics. "Where are we going?"

"Ah, we're going to introduce you to your new class. I'm your teacher, you see."

"What class am I in?" I wonder aloud. Narumi-sensei chuckles. "You're in the gold class of course. As expected from the daughter of Yuka Yukihara."

"Gold?"

"I'm sorry, you might be a little confused." Narumi-sensei says. "In Alice Academy, students are put into classes based on their social standing. All classes are named after precious gems or metals. Gold, being the most valuable metal, is the name for your class. A class of students that come from outstanding family background, the elite of the elite."

I chew on my nail, still a bit confused. "So students are organized into classes based on how rich they are?"

Narumi-sensei scratches his head. "That's one way to put it. But I'm sure you'll get along fine with your classmates. Now look, we're here."

Narumi-sensei stops in front of a huge door and points to something above his head. I look up and spot a small sign, labeled, 'Class Gold.' Funny, it's painted the color gold–

"Funny huh? The sign's made out of actual gold. Gold is such an old color. Silver looks nicer, in my opinion, but that's for a different class." Narumi-sensei shakes his head and sighs. "Wait here, I'll signal you to come in when it's time."

With that, Narumi-sensei slips into the class, leaving a small gap for me to peek through. I can't really see clearly from my angle, but I think I see another chandelier. Just how rich is this school? Sighing, I pat my cheeks and straighten out my uniform. When I enter, I must remain cool and calm. Yes, as calm as the sea…

"Now let's welcome our newest student, shall we?" I hear Narumi-sensei say. Oh, that's my cue. Putting a big smile on my face, I push open the door and walk in…and I'm no longer as calm as the sea. I mean first of all, this is not a classroom. It's a freakin' lounge! I was right, there is one huge chandelier hanging above us and the floor is shiny with marble. And that's not the strangest thing, there's a buffet table at the back of the room and a small fountain in the center. What the heck is wrong with this place? The other funny thing is, I don't see any chairs or tables. Nuh-uh, the students are all either stretched out on armchairs or sofas, with a couple of beanbags to boot. I'm actually surprised we have a blackboard and teacher's desk in the front.

"Mikan-chan, over here." Narumi-sensei is whispering, gesturing for me to stand beside him. That's when I realize my mouth is hanging open and I'm only one step away from the door. So much for being as calm as the sea. I hastily walk towards my teacher, keeping my head low all the while. He throws me a reassuring smile. "Why don't you introduce yourself?"

Here goes nothing. "I'm Mikan Sakura, fifteen years old and I'll be jointing this class from today onwards. Pleased to meet all of you." I quickly duck into a bow as is the japanese custom and stay there till I am sure my eye is no longer twitching. Then I straighten my back and smile. The class seems to be…confused. A girl raises her hand. "Um, yes?" I ask.

The girl shuts the laptop balanced on her lap and looks me in the eye. "I've never heard of the family name Sakura. Are you sure you're in the right class?" I stare at her blankly for a few seconds. Oh, my family name. Sakura is probably not known as a very prestigious family name. Still, that was a rather rude question. I quickly correct myself. "Excuse me, due to several reasons I have another last name which I have yet to be familiar with. Perhaps you would recognize me as Mikan Yukihara?"

There are a few gasps. Then come the whispers. Soon, almost everyone is chattering loudly. The girl raises a hand and the room falls silent again. Weird. She's talking to Narumi-sensei now. "Is that true, sensei? She's the one from the Yukihara family?" She asks.

Narumi-sensei nods. "Indeed she is. I am sure you have already heard of this information though, Hotaru-chan."

The girl–Hotaru is staring at me again. Wait, that name sounds familiar. She's standing up from where she sits on the couch nearest to the fountain. "Please excuse me for being rude," she says. "My name is Hotaru Imai. A pleasure to meet you."

Hotaru. Hotaru Imai. Where have I heard that name? Imai? Hotaru… I slowly approach the girl, closely examining her features. Short black hair, porcelain skin…sharp violet eyes. Violet eyes? No way. It can't be, she's–

"Hotaru!" I shout, throwing myself at the girl. "It's me, Mikan! Do you remember? We were best friends. Do you remember? Do you?"

Hotaru looks down at me as I clutch onto her for dear life. She's giving me a once-over and I'm afraid, all of a sudden. She is Hotaru, right? I try to jog her memory. "Remember, Hotaru? We met about six years ago. When we were nine, I think. You were the new girl in town and we became best friends. Then–you moved away a year later. I always wondered why…Is this where you've been, Hotaru?"

She's looking straight into my eyes. A look of complete indifference. No way, is she really not Hotaru? Wait, she's smiling?

"Took you long enough to realize, idiot." she says, her smile is small, but her eyes twinkle with delight. "It's been a long time, Mikan."

It–It's really her. It's Hotaru. Finally, after all these years. I've found her. I feel a tear slide down my cheek and I know I can no longer contain my emotions. I pull her into a hug, whispering, "I finally get to meet you again, Hotaru. You've grown."

I feel Hotaru wrap her arms around me and I sigh blissfully. Hotaru was never the very emotional type. "And you're still a crybaby."

"Oh, Hotaru." I laugh. Blinking the tears away from my eyes, I suddenly remember where I am. From my view over Hotaru's shoulder, I see that the other students are looking at us curiously. A few of the girls are smiling and tearing slightly though. They give me a friendly wave. I grin back, and am about to pull away when out of the corner of my eye, I spot a flash of black. And..red? Turning my head slightly, I find myself staring into the creepy jerk's eyes. Natsume. I feel my jaw go slack and eyes widen in surprise. I quickly detach myself from Hotaru.

"Is that you, Natsume? The gloomy jerk at the bottom of the stairs?" I ask, taking a few steps towards him. He raises an eyebrow at me and the manga book covering his nose slides off his face.

"Why if it isn't the idiot, polka-dots." he says, voice tinged with amusement.

I only have time to glare at him before I fall flat on my face. Right before his feet.

Not again.

...

There you go, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Very appetizing, no? No worries, the main course is yet to come, and I assure you, it will be delicious. Or, simply delectable.

…Okay, freaking myself out. Feel free to tell me what you think, and if you have any ideas on how the story should progress, do go ahead and voice your thoughts. It's a free world, critic it, hate it, or love it. Preferably the latter.

Adieu,

mysilentvoice~


	3. Chapter 3

**Gakuen Alice**

**The Problem With Being Rich**

**Chapter 3**

_By mysilentvoice_

...

I've always believed in fate. It's such a beautiful thing, I mean, from the time you were born, the fates have already decreed your future. It's all laid out, ready for you to live it. But now I wonder, why fate is so cruel as well? Really, is it really necessary to have me fall on my face smack in front of the same guy twice?

Fate is so cruel.

"Ow! Not again." I hear myself shriek as I detach my face from the floor who seems to love me too much. "Why is life so cruel?" No one answers. A few of my new classmates seem to be pointing behind me, as if trying to warn me. What the heck? I swear, if something bad is gonna happen to me within the same minute I'm so jumping off this building. Okay, maybe not.

I turn my head, ready to give whatever danger is behind me a piece of my mind when all I see is…Hotaru? Ah, I can feel my anger melting away. Hotaru, my long-lost best friend is here to comfort me isn't she? Fate has brought us together…how kind–

"What the–Ahh!" This is crazy. I seem to be flying. Oh look, I'm flying over the fountain, past those girls that waved at me. Oh, it's Natsume, he's grumpy again today. Did another dog of his die? Or maybe his cat. Wait, my body's turning, I can't see him. But I think I would choose his grumpy face instead of that hard, cold wall that seems to be heading my way…Oh dear.

"Ow!" I yell, the pain of my head kissing the wall is too much to bear. Is this school jinxed or something? I seem to be suffering more and more injuries by the day. Wait, someone's pulling on my arm. Hey, be careful, it still hurts from the time I fell down the stairs! Oh, I'm on my feet. And I see…a worried looking guy with specs. Is he a nerd? Wait, that's an insult. I should probably stop talking to myself and answer whatever question he's asking me.

"Are you okay? Hello? Can you hear me?" Hm, this is nostalgic. Except instead of one grumpy sourpuss we now have a nerd-like kid. He seems to be panicking. I should probably open my mouth.

"Oh yeah, I'm totally fine." Is what I hear myself say. Though I'm pretty sure I'm not fine. Nerd-guy frowns and turns his head, waving someone over. It's Hotaru. There's a strange device wrapped around one of her hands and it seems to be smoking. Hotaru sighs. "I was hoping that hit would rearrange her brain into something a little less stupid." She says.

"Stupid? What do you mean I'm stupid?" I ask. "And who was it who hit me?" Hotaru raises her arm and blows the smoke off her small device. She throws me a cold stare. "I did. You were being an idiot, it was embarrassing me."

I gasp. "Hotaru," I run towards her and throw my arms around her in a hug. "Why did you hit me Hotaru? You're so mean. You're as mean as Natsume. Hmph."

Uh oh. She's glaring at me and raising her weird device in the air. Something tells me I should avoid that. I quickly try to pacify her. "Of course, I love you more than him, besides, his eyes are weird."

Okay, that's not the strongest argument I've ever made, but it seems to calm Hotaru down a little. She's put away her weird device, but she's still glaring at me. Hotaru turns on her heel and walks back to her couch. Hey, don't just ignore me and pick up a cup of tea. We have so much to catch up on. I quickly check for any broken bones and thank nerd-boy. Then I hurry over to Hotaru. On my way there, however, I'm stopped by a mean-looking girl, her hair seems to be shifting and flying. Almost like Medusa. I have to ask.

"Are you a reincarnation of Medusa? Or is that actually normal for you?" One look at the girl's face and I immediately wish I kept my mouth shut. Curses.

Medusa girl is pointing a finger at me, her glare intensifying by the second. Is it me or does everyone here enjoy glaring a bit too much?

"Listen up, Yukihira, or Sakura, whatever your name is–" I raise my hand timidly. "I prefer Sakura."

"Whatever, Sakura!" She bellows. At least she listened to me. "Now I don't care that you're the daughter of Yuka Yukihara, and I swear, you had better not insult Natsume-kun's eyes ever again."

I cock my head, confused. "Um, why–"

"Because!" She exclaims, throwing her hands in the air. "Natsume-kun's eyes are simply divine. Those gorgeous rubies are what no woman can resist, you'd find yourself lost in that beautiful ocean of blood if you so much as look at him. It's simply beautiful I'm telling you!"

I scratch my head, not quite getting it. "Why would you want to drown in an ocean of blood?" I ask. "You'd die and smell horrible at the same time."

"It was a metaphor!" She yells. "In other words, his eyes are just so deep and full of depth that you can practically feel yourself melting away. And don't even get me started on Ruka-kun–"

"Who's Ruka?" I wonder aloud.

"Quit interrupting me!" Woah, she has a bad temper. She runs to one of the couches in the corner and yanks a blonde-haired boy to his feet. Then she beckons me over. Shrugging, I do as she says and jog over to the couch. She clutches onto the boy's arm and smirks. "This is Ruka Nogi. The only boy in this room that can rival Natsume-kun's beauty–"

Hey, what about me?" Calls another blonde guy from the other side of the room. He's grinning like a maniac.

"Shut up, Koko!" Medusa girl snaps. I turn my attention back to the blonde she grabbed. He's holding a white rabbit in his arms and looks rather uncomfortable with Medusa girl. She gestures to his eyes. They're blue. Pretty.

"These are what I'm talking about," she grins. "Look at them! They're a pair of sparkling sapphires that sparkle even in the dark! In them you can see not only the ocean but the sky and even the heavens. Aren't they just amazing?"

"Uh, I–"

"Of course they're amazing, I don't even need to ask!" Medusa girl relinquishes her grip on Ruka and he sighs in relief. Then she turns to face me, hands on her hips. "Now do you get it? It's a sin to insult Natsume-kun's eyes, and as president of the Natsume and Ruka Fan Club, I hereby declare that you're my enemy!"

She's pointing at me again. Geez. "But I wasn't even insulting his eyes, I just said they are weird, I mean, it's not exactly common–"

"That's what I mean," she says, cutting me off. "Natsume-kun's eyes are simply divine. Those gorgeous–"

I wave a dismissive hand at her. This is getting old. "Yeah, yeah. You explained that just two minutes ago, permy."

"What did I say about interrupting me, Sakura-san! I–Wait, what did you just call me?"

"Uh, permy?" I say, wondering if I said something wrong again.

"My name isn't permy!" She shouts. "I am Sumire Shouda, and I demand that you call me by my name!"

"But permy fits you better," I argue. "It's better than Medusa too–"

Sumire let's out a scream. She breathes in and out slowly and turns to face the class. "My apologies, everyone. This Sakura girl is just so infuriating. First she insult's Natsume-kun and then my name. Honestly–"

"But everyone calls you permy, permy. I don't know why you're still complaining." The boy from earlier says. His name is Koko if I'm not wrong.

"Be quiet Koko!" Sumire shouts. So much for calming down. "I don't even get why everyone calls me that–"

"That's cos' your hair is all curly in the front permy," Koko points out. Why is he still smiling? "But the weird thing is that the rest of your hair is straight. I'm telling you, it defies the laws of science."

"And who asked for your opinion?" Sumire snapped. "I swear, Koko, you are the most infuriating person–"

"Um, I thought it was Mikan-chan who was infuriating," Koko says. "Make up your mind, permy."

Sumire screams once more and charges straight for Koko who did not run away in time and is now being strangled. The poor guy. Weird, he's still smiling. I shrug and happily skip over to Hotaru, but then I remember I haven't yet said anything to Natsume. I quickly make a U-turn.

I sit myself on the coffee table in front of him and give him an apologetic smile. "Now Natsume, I know we started on bad terms, but I finally figured out why you're such a grump!"

"Excuse me?" He says. "Do I even know you?"

"Of course you do," I grin. "Earlier you said to me, 'It's you again, polka-dots, which definitely means you recognize me. Wait, why the heck did you call me polka-dots?"

He raises an eyebrow. Pft. It's short. "Do you really want to know, polka?"

I nod eagerly. Natsume and Ruka exchange looks and Ruka throws him a questioning stare. Natsume ignores him, however, and leans forward. He leans close to my ear and I can feel his hot breath on my skin. Alert, alert. Invasion of personal space. What is he doing? He raises a hand and brushes a few strands of hair from my ear with his fingers, making me shiver. I wonder if I should run. Then, he moves even closer so that I can practically feel his lips on my ear and I swear I was going to blush when he whispers, "Polka-dot panties girl."

Natsume swiftly leans away from me as my fist comes down to punch the air where his head was a second ago. Did I hear correctly? He–He saw my panties? If I remember correctly, I was indeed wearing that pattern of panties the day I met him. He looked? How dare he!

"How dare you look at them you pervert!" I yell, shaking a fist at him. "I was right, you are a creepy jerk! I don't care if your dog died anymore, I hate you!" With that, I leap off the table and run towards Hotaru, enveloping her in a hug. She doesn't even glance at me, however, and simply continues chewing on a few biscuits. How mean.

Sulking, I retract my arms and go sit in front of the fountain on the floor. Nobody cares about me. Everyone is so cold and weird. This is when I enter the world of sulking and I barely notice when two girls crouch before me. "Hey, you okay?" Asks the one with pink hair. "You want some company?" Asks the other. Her hair is dark blue. What a strange pair.

"I'm fine," I say, happy that not everyone is ignoring me. "I'm Mikan."

They both giggle. They're so cute. "We know," says the pink one. "I'm Anna, and this is Nonoko." She points to the blue-haired one. She smiles. "It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." I smile. So the world doesn't hate me that much after all. I'm glad.

Anna and Nonoko pull me to my feet and lead me to a couch opposite Hotaru's where they sit on either side of me. Hotaru just ignores us and opens her laptop. Sigh.

"So is it true that you and Hotaru-chan have been friends since you were nine?" Anna asks. She offers me a cookie.

"Yup," I say, accepting the treat. "We were the best of friends. Right, Hotaru?"

"Don't talk while you're eating." Was her reply. Nonoko hands me a glass of milk. "It goes well with cookies," she explains. I thank her and take a sip. As I place the glass carefully on the table, I look around me at my fellow classmates. There's not many of us, and strangely, everyone seems to be of different ages. Anna notices my confusion.

"This class isn't like classes from normal schools," she says. "I'm sure sensei explained how we are classed according to social standing and family background, right?" I nod in reply.

"In this class, everyone's parents or family is very well-known throughout Japan, and sometimes over the world. This school is actually less for studying and more like a place for us to gather and learn about the society we come from."

Nonoko nods in agreement. "Most of our parents send us here so we can forge friendships with other students whose families may end up becoming our family's clients, or the other way round. We students are something like a messenger for our parents. If me and Anna befriend each other, for example, and become real close, then we can convince our parents to, let's say, come into partnership with one another, or to fund one another. Help both families to earn some mutual benefit. If we dislike each other, then we have the power to make sure our families don't benefit each other, or in extreme cases, have our parents take down our rival's family. That's why, in this class, we have to juggle our relationships with everyone carefully, and make sure we don't make any formidable enemies."

Wow, I never realized the life of the rich and elite was so complicated. And to think I'm now part of all this. I miss my old life. The two girls pat my shoulder reassuringly.

"You're new to all this, right?" Anna asks. "Don't worry, we'll help you understand bit by bit."

"Yes, don't worry about it," Nonoko says. "And don't worry about us becoming your friends just because of your family. We'd love to be friends with you."

I smile gratefully and hug the two. "Thanks so much guys, I really appreciate it."

…

"That guy over there with the specs is Yuu Tobita. He helped you earlier remember?" Anna says pointing to the boy nearest to us. He noticed us looking at him and puts down his book, giving us a polite smile.

"He's probably the most polite boy in this class. His father is a very famous politician. He's also the class president." Nonoko explained, tugging me to the the other side of the room.

"We have a class president?" I ask, sure, it's common in normal school, but in this school, I wouldn't be surprised if none of them owned textbooks.

"Of course we do. What class doesn't have a class representative? And Hotaru-chan is the vice-president." Anna adds.

"As expected of Hotaru," I say proudly. I notice we are approaching a few boys. "Who are they?" I ask.

Nonoko points to Koko. "That's Kokoro Yome. But everyone calls him Koko. His father is the CEO of something or other. I can't remember. And his mom is a famous actress. He's pretty weird and never stops smiling but he's friendly and fun to get along with."

Anna points to the boy laughing with Koko. "Are they brothers or something?" I ask. They kinda look alike. Nonoko shakes her head. "That's Kitsu, short for Kitsuneme. He and Koko have the same hairstyle and pretty much the same personality but they're not related one bit. Both his parents hold high ranking positions in the government."

"I see," I tell them, giving a little wave to Koko and Kitsu when I catch their eye. They grin back and give me a thumbs up before resuming their conversation. Anna and Nonoko link their arms with mine and drag me towards the buffet table, where a boy and girl both older than us are arguing. A smaller girl seems to be trying to calm them down. She smiles with relief as we approach.

"Thank goodness," the girl says. She looks kinda familiar. "Tsubasa-senpai and Misaki-senpai have been arguing over who gets the last cake for over five minutes. And I think Misaki-senpai's gonna hurt him if they don't stop soon."

"Oh dear," Nonoko sighs. "Not again. I'll try to help them out, Anna, you stay with Mikan. Introduce her to Aoi or something."

Anna gives Nonoko a playful salute and turns to me. She gestures the the small girl. "This is Aoi Hyuuga. She's two years younger than us, thirteen, if I'm not wrong."

Aoi grins at us. "That's right! Nice to meet you, Mikan-chan." She holds out a hand for me to shake. I accept it and smile. "Same to you, Aoi-chan. You know, you look kind of familiar. Have we met before or something?"

Aoi and Anna giggle a bit. "Nope," she says. "We haven't met before but I think you might know my brother."

"I do?" I quickly do a mental run of the people I know. No one like Aoi comes to mind. I shake my head and she laughs.

"It's Natsume. He's my older brother." She explains. I recoil in shock. This sweet little girl is Natsume's younger sister? But they're so different!

"But, Natsume's all grumpy and mean," I say. "And you're all smiley and nice!" Aoi shrugs. "Natsume and me are really different. We only resemble each other in terms of looks."

She's right. They both have crimson red eyes and jet black hair. Both are pretty good-looking too. Though unlike Natsume, she's actually nice. Interesting. Anna pulls me close and whispers into my ear. "The Hyuuga's father is a very famous painter, and their mom is the manager of Hyuuga Corporations. They're quite close, the Hyuuga siblings."

Nonoko comes back with a smile on her face, she drags me over to the end of the buffet table saying, "I ordered some extra cake so the senpais have stopped arguing. I'll introduce you to them."

We come to a halt before a pretty red haired girl and a black-haired guy. Wait, why's there a star beneath his eye?

"This is Misaki Harada senpai and Tsubas Ando senpai. They're both two years older than us." Nonoko says, gesturing to the two.

I realize I've been staring at Tsubas-senpai's star for too long and quickly fumble for words. "Oh, um–it's a pleasure to meet you, senpais. I'm Mikan!"

Misaki-senpai grins happily. "Aw, she's so cute. Isn't she, Tsubasa?"

Tsubasa senpai's mouth is full of cookies. "She sure is! Nice to meet you, kid." Misaki-senpai smacks him on the head. "Don't talk with your mouth full, idiot. Let's go sit down before you annoy anyone else." Giving us a small wave, Misaki-senpai drags Tsubasa-senpai by the collar to their seat by the window. They seem close.

"Are they a couple?" I ask and Nonoko scratches her head. "Well, they are in an arranged marriage, and there are rumors about them being an actual couple but Misaki-senpai bullies him a lot so I'm not sure. Her parents are famous celebrities and so is Tsubasa-senpai's parents. They're both really nice."

Over at where Natsume sits, Aoi and Anna are waving us over. Nonoko grabs my hand and pulls me along, though I really don't want to see Natsume again.

Anna and Aoi are crouching at Natsume's feet and before I can yell at the two to get away because he's a dangerous pervert, I spot a small kid sitting on Natsume's lap. What?

Anna beckons me over to where she's kneeling. As soon as I'm beside her, I get a closer look at the small boy. He has messy dark hair and blue-grey eyes. And he's simply adorable.

"This is You-chan, short for Youichi Hijiri. He's six years old and the class's youngest student, his parents are billionaires." Anna whispers into my ear. I grin at You-chan. He's so cute.

"Hi, You-chan. I'm Mikan." I say to the boy, and suddenly I realize that he's as emotionless as Natsume. "Ugly hag." You-chan replies. Creepy! He's as rude as Natsume as well!"

"What have you done to this poor kid, Natsume!" I say, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You've turned him into a carbon copy of you."

Anna shakes my shoulder and makes me kneel beside her. "It's best you don't say that, Mikan-chan," she seems nervous. "You-chan idolizes Natsume and he'll do whatever Natsume tells him to!"

This sentence does not prevent me from yelling at Natsume though. It fires me up even more, much to Anna's dismay. "I can't believe you, Natsume! What have you done to this poor child?"

Natsume completely ignores me and resumes reading his manga. He's doesn't look mad, but You-chan does, because before I know it, one of my pigtail's is given a sharp yank. I cry out in pain, my eyes quickly focus on the puller. You-chan.

"Go away, ugly." You-chan mumbles, giving my hair another sharp tug before releasing it. I don't even have time to start yelling before Anna and Nonoko pull me away.

"Calm down, Mikan-chan." Nonoko says. "You-chan's usually like that. He insults almost all the girls."

"Yeah," Anna says. "Come on, let's introduce you to Sumire and Ruka-kun."

"Ruka? You mean him?" I raise my arm and point to the boy running right past us, followed by Hotaru. Ruka is shouting for Hotaru to stop but she simply whips out a camera and snaps photos of him, one after the other.

"Um, yeah." Nonoko smiles. "Hotaru-chan often takes pictures of Natsume and Ruka. Apparently their pictures earn her a lot of money."

I shake my head. "Hotaru has always loved money. So what's Ruka like?"

"His full name is Ruka Nogi. He's half-french, half-japanese. If I'm not wrong, his family is one of the wealthiest in this region. I think his mom is a famous model." Anna explains.

"He's quite nice. And he's also Natsume's best friend. They've known each other for years." Nonoko adds. "He almost always brings that rabbit wherever he goes. He really likes animals. Like, a lot."

"Cool," I say. "Where's permy?"

"I think she went outside just now. She had to take a call." Anna replies. "Sumire is kinda loud, and she has a bad-temper, and she may seem proud and rude, but she's really nice. She just doesn't show it much. Her mom is a fashion designer and her father is a famous musician."

"I see, come to think of it, what about you guys? I don't know anything about your parents." I look at the two girls expectantly.

"Um, Nonoko's parents are both scientists. They're really famous for their discoveries." Anna says. Nonoko blushes . "That's true, but Anna's parents are world-class chefs. They own several five-star restaurants over the world."

"Awesome," I exclaim. I feel like something's missing. "Wait, what about Hotaru?"

"Ah, Hotaru's father runs a company that designs and sells gadgets. You have heard of the Ima-i-phone right?"

I dig into my skirt pocket and bring out my phone. "You mean this?"

Anna nods. "Yeah, Hotaru-chan's family company designed that. Hotaru-chan designs a couple of things too. A few of them have been released to the market. One example is that gun she hit you with earlier."

"Gun?" I ask, shocked.

Nonoko laughs. "Not a real gun of course. She calls it the Baka-gun. Made to deal with idiots. Not that you're an idiot, Mikan-chan."

I begin to sulk. "Hotaru's so mean."

…

We are having another round of cookies when Narumi-sensei bursts into the room all of a sudden, a glass bowl tucked under one arm.

"I've returned, my dear students," he smiles, placing the glass bowl on the teacher's table. "If I may please have your attention, I'd like to draw the names for next week's monthly class vacation."

Everyone immediately stops talking and focus their attention on Narumi-sensei. I look around, confused. "What's going on?" I ask Anna. She puts a finger to her lips. "You find out soon."

"For the sake of our newest student, Mikan-chan, I'll explain the details of our little class trip." Narumi-sensei says. "Every month, we will have a class vacation overseas for a week or so, and lottery is used to determine which two students will be organizing the trip. Last month, we visited Paris, courtesy of Ruka-kun and Anna-chan. What a fun trip that was! Now, in this bowl I have everyone's names, except for Ruka-kun and Anna-chan of course, since they've already had their turn."

"Cool, we get to go on a trip overseas every month?" I ask, excitement coursing through my veins. "I've never been outside of Japan before."

"The purpose of the trip is to train our management skills. The trip has to be organized by the chosen two only, and they will have to host a fun vacation using whatever funds their family will allow them." Nonoko explains. "It's quite fun."

"And now, let us choose this month's hosts, shall we?" Narumi-sensei grins, reaching his hand into the glass bowl. He picks up the first slip of paper his hand touches.

"First, we have Natsume-kun." Sensei waves the paper in the air, and a few clap and cheer. I glance over at Natsume and notice his bored expression. He doesn't look too happy to be chosen. Narumi-sensei is digging through the bowl again, this time he selects a piece right at the bottom. He unfolds the paper and we wait with bated breath.

"And his partner will be our newbie, Mikan-chan!" Narumi-sensei declares. "Everyone, give a round of applause to this month's hosts, Mikan-chan and Natsume-kun. Make sure you cooperate with each other, alright?"

Oh darn it. Natsume is glaring at me. We actually have to work with each other? This is just great.

I am so doomed.

…

Whoops. That was a really long chapter. Hope I didn't bore anyone. But I had no choice, seeing as I had to introduce the characters. Hope you guys liked this chapter, the next one will be really interesting, I can assure you.

If you guys have any ideas of where Mikan and Natsume should host the vacation, do let me know. Tell me all about the location and what they can do there and what events can take place depending on the surroundings.

I hope to hear from you guys!

Adieu,

mysilentvoice~


	4. Chapter 4

**Gakuen Alice**

**The Problem With Being Rich**

**Chapter 4**

_By mysilentvoice_

…

This. Is. Hopeless.

Or rather, Natsume Hyuuga is hopeless.

"What the heck is wrong with him?" I shout, tugging at my pigtails. "This is so unfair!"

"Calm down, Mikan-chan. Please?" Nonoko is tugging at my sleeve nervously. But I can't calm down.

"He's so annoying! Does he expect me to do it all by myself?" Feeling the need to throw something, I pick up the cushion beside me and throw it across the room.

"Oh dear, my brother is just so horrible isn't he?" Aoi says cheerfully. "Anna-chan, I think she needs something else to throw."

Anna quickly hands me crumpled ball of paper. I throw it as far as I can. It doesn't even fly two metres.

"I need something heavier!" My eyes scan the table before me. A book. A heavy one. I feel my mouth forming a grin.

"Wait, Mikan-chan! That's Hotaru-chan's book!" Nonoko cries, waving her arms in the air. Uh-oh. Too late. The book skids halfway across the room, before coming to a stop at someone's feet. Hotaru's feet.

I'm so dead.

"Wahhhh! I'm so sorry Hotaru! Please don't kill me!" I cry out as she looms over me with that deadly gun in her hand. Just before Hotaru's delivers me on heaven's doorstep, I form only one thought.

Natsume Hyuuga, this is all your fault.

And I'm dead.

…

_That morning:_

_"Natsume!"_

_He doesn't even stop walking. How rude._

_"Natsume, wait up!" Ah. He's stopped. I quickly catch up to him. He gives me a questing look._

_"We have to discuss our plans for the trip,remember?" I say, looking at him hopefully. "You wanna discuss it now? Before class?"_

_"Do it yourself." He says. Excuse me?_

_"What? I can't, we're supposed to plan this together." I frown. "Didn't you help out last year too?"_

_"Last year? I was paired with Yome last year. He was really eager and had a lot of stupid ideas so I left him to do what he wanted. Didn't turn out too well. The girls still hate him for it."_

_I sighed. "Which is why we should do it together. I'm new at all this so you have to give me a hand."_

_He shrugs. "You probably have some really idiotic ideas so I'm not planning to be involved. When you butcher it up, you can go ahead and take the blame yourself."_

_And he walks away. Walks away. Are you kidding me?_

_..._

"I think she's waking up."

Ow. My head hurts. And I had a terrible dream.

"Are you okay, Mikan-chan?" That question again? Haven't I been hearing that question way too much recently? Maybe this is God's payback for all those times I failed my math test.

"She seems a little out of it. What are we going to do, Natsume?" Natsume? Wasn't I just dreaming about him? Something about the trip. Yeah, the trip. Wait, trip?

"Why don't you try snapping her out of it, Hyuuga? You are an expert at pissing people off after all." That's Hotaru's voice. Hey, she's the one who hit me, right? What a mean friend. Well, I did throw her book on the floor. Why did I do that again?

"Shut up, Imai." That's Natsume. He sounds annoyed. Good. Let him get a taste of his own medicine. He seriously annoyed me after refusing to talk about the trip–

"Wake up, idiot polka." What the–someone blew into my ear. Wait, that voice belongs to–

"Natsume Hyuuga!" I yell. Wow, feels good to have a clear head. But now I'm seriously pissed. I jab a finger at the forehead nearest to me. Natsume. Perfect.

"Why the heck did you blow into my ear? Do you know how creepy that is? And don't call me idiot polka, you idiot!" Ahh, feels nice to let it all out. Hold on, I forgot one last thing.

"And do you know how much you piss me off? Especially this morning! I can't believe I have to work with you. Wait, it doesn't even matter because you refuse to help me!" Now I'm panting. I think I strained my voice a little too much. Wait, since when was everyone gathered around me?

Now this is embarrassing.

"I think you hit her too hard, Imai. She's even more annoying than before." Natsume mutters, swatting my finger away.

"That's your problem, Hyuuga. All her rantings were directed to you."

Someone's shaking my shoulder. Ruka. "Are you okay?" He asks. I am seriously sick of that question.

"I'm fine, Ruka-pyon! Don't ask me that again." I snap. Oops, I got mad at the wrong person. "Uh, sorry about that, but Natsume was just being so annoying–"

"Speak for yourself." Natsume snorts.

"Shut up, jerk! But I'm sorry I yelled at you, Ruka-pyon." I say, but Ruka-pyon looks a little confused.

"Ruka-pyon?" He raises an eyebrow. I grin. "Yeah, cos' you like animals and you're practically glued to that rabbit!"

Ruka-pyon blushes and looks away. He quickly stands up. "I need to go to the bathroom." And he's off. I wonder what's up with him. I look around and realize everyone is still looking at me with concern. Except a few.

"I'm alright now," I say, feeling sheepish. "Sorry to worry you guys." Thank goodness, they're finally going back to their own business. I sigh heavily and am about to stand up when I notice Natsume is still crouched in front of me. His stare kinda hurts.

"Yes?" I ask, struggling to maintain my composure. He's still staring. I stare back, trying really hard not to look away. After what seems like a few years he grabs my wrist and pulls me to my feet.

"Um, what–hey!" He's not letting go and is now dragging me across the room. "Let go!" I say, trying to break free but I might as well be handcuffed to a robot. He drags me out of class, down the stairs, out the foyer, past the gardens, geez, why's this school so big? And finally, out the gates. He only let's go once the gates close behind us. As pretty as that solid gold gate is, I suddenly feel some animosity towards it. Natsume is taking out his phone. He fiddles with it before bringing it to his ear.

"Bring the car around." He says, hanging up immediately. Seriously? Not even a hello or goodbye? Just how rude can this guy get?

Within a few seconds, a long, shiny limo stops before us. The driver climbs out and opens the passenger door. Natsume looks at me expectantly. I shake my head, taking a few steps backwards. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

With a roll of his eyes, Natsume grabs me around the waist and shoves me into the car before sliding in himself. The driver shuts the door behind us and gets in as well. He turns to Natsume. "Where to, Natsume-sama?"

"Home." Natsume replied. I looked at him, shell-shocked.

"I am so not going to your home." I say, trying to open the door. Natsume scoffed. "The door's locked, stupid. You'd have better luck cracking open a vault."

I groaned, pulling at my pigtails nervously. "Why the heck are you bringing me to your house, Natsume?"

He doesn't reply. Apparently the scenery outside is very interesting. Now I'm annoyed. Tensing up my whole body, I do a small countdown inside my head and lunge at him. I wrap my arms around his neck in a headlock and pull on a few locks of his hair.

"I could report you for kidnapping, Natsume." I seethe into his ear. "You better tell me why you're bringing me to your house."

Natsume doesn't even blink. He mutters something incoherent under his breath. I lean closer, trying to hear what he's saying. "Talk louder, Natsume."

"I said, I'm bringing you to my mother." He says through gritted teeth, eyes still on the window. Now I'm confused.

"Why?"

"I'm not good with planning social gatherings. My mom likes that kind of thing, so…" He trails off. It takes me awhile to understand what he's trying to say. I smirk.

"So you're letting me speak to your mom about the trip huh? I guess you do have a brain and heart after all."

He mutters something even lower than before and all I can catch is something about idiots and freak shows. I should probably get angry since it's most likely directed at me but I'm so happy to discover Natsume is actually human that I just don't care. In the heat of the moment I undo the headlock and hug him instead. Then I plant a small kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks, Natsume. I guess you do care about the trip after all." I smile, releasing him. He gives me a weird look and pulls one of my pigtails. Just then, the car makes a sharp turn and I slam onto his chest. Before I can apologize or anything he wraps an arm around my waist and whispers into my ear, "Don't just kiss people like that, idiot." Then he releases me and puts an arm around my shoulders instead. This small gesture makes me smile a bit and I snuggle closer to him. He's a really comfy source of heat.

This was when I probably got to learn a little more about him. Sadly, the comfortable silence only lasted a minute before he insulted me again and we bickered all the way to his house. It was a start. I guess.

…

Woah. This is crazy. Natsume catches me zoning out and hits me on the head. I'm getting quite used to suffering blows there, actually.

We've finally reached the Hyuuga estate and I can't believe the size of this place. It's nearly as big as the school. This kinda makes me wonder what my mom's house looks like. It's probably not even a house. I know Natsume's home isn't. This is a freakin' mansion for Pete's sake!

Natsume has to drag me out of the car because I'm so absorbed in admiring his house. He hits me on the head once more and the driver eyes me nervously. Forcing myself to snap out of it, I quickly thank the driver and hurry after Natsume. The guards at the gate greet us with a polite bow as we walk past. Natsume barely looks at them. Rude jerk.

He leads me through the gates and through the gardens. I could be wrong, but I think that statue over there looks like him. I snicker softly and follow Natsume up some steps. Then through a pavilion. Down some more steps. Past a rose garden. Past a medium-sized building. Across a bridge that stretches over a small stream. And another garden.

By the time we reach the doors of the main house I'm completely exhausted. Panting, I turn to Natsume, noting his blank expression. He didn't even break a sweat. "Usually we take a car to the main house." He says.

I cough. "Then why the heck didn't we do that?"

He shrugs. "Just wanted to torture you."

I don't even have time to glare at him when the doors open. I follow Natsume in and try not to freak out at the sight of the many maids and butlers lined up at the door. They bow and greet us as we enter and I'm still wondering if I should greet them back when I realize Natsume has already dragged me up one flight of stairs. When did that happen?

He walks down the hallway and we pass a huge painting. I stop to admire it. It's a painting of his whole family. I smile as my eyes land on him and Aoi. They're both still pretty young in this picture. Aoi is smiling happily but Natsume appears to be emotionless. A question pops into my mind.

"For how long have you been an emotionless creep?" Is my question, and judging by Natsume's expression, I can tell he doesn't like it. He completely ignores me and continues walking. Honestly.

Finally, we come to a stop before a huge door. Natsume turns the handle and walks in. He didn't even hold it for me. I quickly slip into the room before the door closes completely and look around. We're in a library. The walls curve into a huge circle around us and books line every shelf. My ears pick up the sound of two people laughing and I turn towards the sound. Natsume is walking towards the biggest shelf in the room. It separates the room into two and I can't see behind it.

"Mom?" He calls out. "I've brought someone to see you."

I hurry after Natsume and approach the shelf. Suddenly, I begin to feel rather nervous. I'm meeting Natsume Hyuuga's mom for goodness sake! What if she's as mean as him? That would be horrible. This is probably why I find myself hiding behind Natsume's back. I clutch the tail of his shirt tightly.

"Ah, Natsume dear," a woman's voice says cheerfully. "Come here, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine."

I allow myself a small peek from behind Natsume. There sits two woman, one with her back towards me. The one I can see notices me and and she gives me a surprised look. As scared as I am, I can't look away. She's so beautiful. I can clearly see where Natsume got his looks from. Her body is long and curvy. Her hair as black as the night and her eyes. Bright red crimson. She looks at me for a bit more and grins slyly.

"Would you like to introduce me to your friend, Natsume?" She asks, her voice light and teasing. "My, this is the first time I've ever seen you around a girl that's not Aoi."

Natsume sighs. He grabs my arm and pulls me to stand in front of him. "Mom, this is Mikan. She's–"

"Mikan?" The other woman asks, surprised. Wait, her voice sounds familiar. The woman turns her body to face us and my jaw drops.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

…

This is quite a short chapter but I guess it doesn't matter. My brain doesn't seem to be working today you see?

I'd like to thank the people who've reviewed so far and I pray that there will be more reviews to come. Geez, I sound like I'm in church. Please tell me what you think!

And I'd be really happy if you could just suggest some places for them to have a fun vacation at. I'm thinking a beach would suit the story and give me lots of chances for fluff and excitement, but I have no idea where in this world you can find a good beach. Let me know if you do!

Adieu,

mysilentvoice


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